Arkem
Arkem Space Port is a planet sized space station floating in the middle of nowhere between the North and East Kingdoms. It became a major center of piracy in the galaxy. The station appeared to be free of governing reach of either the All Union or the Holy Order and was generally a lawless place, and one of the only places an outlaw considered to be "free." The Smiley's Tavern was a popular bar on the station. The station was originally a device left behind by the Gods for an unknown purpose that was taken over by vagrants looking for a home during the dark times following the Cataclysm. Tenants set up housing settlements within the various docking bays, and after several generations came to identify themselves by which dock they lived in. Each Dock took care of its own affairs, and occasionally different docks would battle for control of the station. The lack of centralized authority on the station made it a favorite stomping ground for many pirates and outlaws who found it to be a convenient base from which to raid planets in both the North and East. The people living on the station based their entire economy on the outlaws and their loot. A dazzling array of goods and services became available on the station, and people who had been robbed by outlaws who had the courage to go to Arkem could sometimes buy back what was stolen from them at one of the various markets throughout the docks. Over time, powerful outlaws and even Outlaw Kings would manage to seize control of a dock and impose their will on it, permitting one kind of business but not others. For instance, the sale and trade of slaves might be forbidden in one dock but perfectly acceptable in another. Prostitutes would be free to ply their trade under their own rules in one area but be under the tight control of a pimp elsewhere. Drug use would run rampant through the denizens of one dock while another finds itself relatively free. In some a group might be free to come and go as they wish and in another approaching vessels would have to pay exorbitant docking fees or be destroyed. The Magnificent 7 like to use Arkem as a home base and will commonly return there after adventures or when they're trying to lie low from SENTINEL. While they were initially treated as just another outlaw group to be muscled into line, they caused so much damage fighting back against such attempts that the Three Kings who ran Arkem became appalled at the cost incurred. In a meeting, they agreed to cease attempts to bring the Magnificent 7 under their thumb and leave them to do as they pleased, the logic being that if left alone the damage they caused would be minimal compared to occasions when they were openly challenged. In actuality the meeting was to inspire the three of them to join their forces to destroy the 7, but Cain infiltrated the meeting and threatened them about ever getting in the 7's way again. Government While Arkem is extremely corrupt it at least in name has a working government which handles things like security, maintenance and utilities. In theory the highest official is the Mayor who lives in the Mayor's Mansion at the center of Arkem called Central. From here he runs a bureaucracy which handles the nuts and bolts of keeping the society of the station running. The Mayor himself is beholden to the authority of the Three Kings, powerful Outlaws who control the flow of money into and out of the station. The Three Kings Arkem is currently under the control of three Outlaw Kings who had managed to rise to prominence. After countless bloody battles, the three of them managed to wipe out their competitors and arrange a ceasefire with eachother. Today they see to it that a degree of order is kept throughout the station, that the flow of money through its halls is kept uninterrupted and that they always get a cut. They have a tentative agreement to stay out of eachother's business, but despite this are generally trying to make a buck at the expense of the others. Cardoza The leader of the Syndicates' presence on board the station, Cardoza is widely feared throughout Arkem. Coming up in the Acturan Crime Families, he grew strong and became one of the most notorious warriors in the Syndicates. Through a number of Machiavellian schemes and bloody handed assassinations, he eventually managed to gain control over the families. However, at the height of his power he was poisoned by a rival. Using experimental procedures, he managed to survive but was hideously mutated into a gigantic creature with stone like skin. The treatment made him super strong and invulnerable. Like the other Kings, Cardoza is a powerful fighter. Before his transformation, he battled the Champion Dio who would in his later years admit "I had alot of trouble with him." Adso the Monk Adso is the Abbot of the Temple of Light on Arkem. He is the oldest power on the station and has seen rivals come and go. His temple is actually a front for a massive black market operation, and even Cardoza and Pandora have been known to go to him to procure things they can’t. Most underestimate Adso because of his short stature and frail body, assuming that the true person to worry about is his assistant, a fearsome warrior called Zeno. However, Adso is actually far stronger, possessing a powerful Aura and centuries of fighting experience. Despite this he prefers to keep himself and the Light Monks away from bloodshed, preferring to corner his enemies through deft maneuvering. He is very fond of the Three Kings arrangement on Arkem, insisting violence is “bad for business.” Despite this, he was the last to agree to Cain’s terms to leave the Magnificent 7 alone because he considers them too powerful to be trusted. He agreed only when Cain pointed out “yer refusing because ye fear what might happen. But if ye don’t agree then what yer afraid of will DEFINITELY happen. Seems a no-brainer to me...” Pandora Casta Pandora is the youngest of the Three Kings, but in some ways is the most feared because of her ruthless tactics and fanatically devoted soldiers. A general from the destroyed Giger Empire, she took her army and set out on her own, becoming pirates and outlaws. After raising hell along shipping lanes in the North, they set up a foothold in Arkem and began ruthlessly taking out the competition. She eventually came to a stalemate fighting the forces of Cardoza and Adso, and agreed to a ceasefire between them so they could stop wasting resources against eachother. Pandora was a participant in the Empire's super soldier program which opened up her Aura Network and granted her magnetic powers. Despite her excessive personality and sadistic tendencies, Pandora is an honorable woman who always keeps her word. She is fiercely loyal to her men, and they in turn are completely devoted to her. Places of Note Central Believed to be the former command center for the station, Central had long ago been remodeled into the Mayor's mansion. Smiley's Tavern Smiley's Tavern is a dive bar in Dock 7 where John Duke encountered the Grinning Pirates. The Pirates had taken over the bar following one of their conquests and were relaxing there with their captives when John appeared with the intention of taking their ship. The Garage The Magnificent 7 own an office in the Market District of Dock 4 which is a short walk from the Pit. This building which John calls the Garage, serves as a safe house where the group can lay low in between adventures. It has a hangar area which can hold the Rocco II as well lodgings for the entire group. On the occasions when the 7 aren't out adventuring or need to return to Arkem to lie low, this office serves as their home. It is also a place that people in the know can leave messages for them. The Garage was once the lab of the mad scientist Philo Fry who was the inventor of the original C-564 Charger. The Pit A bar in the Dock 4 Market District where the Magnificent 7 like to hang out. It is owned by a former prize fighter named Roxy who named it after Arkem's fighting pits where she became a champion. Meat Meat is a restaurant chain which has an establishment on Arkem. Meat is set up as a sports bar where patrons can watch various sports games from around the sector. The main draw of the establishment however, is its Meat Girls, attractive young waitresses whose revealing outfits and sex appeal are played up for their customers. Meat employs other men and women as cooks, hosts, busboys and managers, but the primary face of the company are the top heavy Meat Girls. The Meat Girls are recognizable by their white tanktop with the name of the company emblazoned on them, orange runner's shorts and white sneakers. As its name implies, the primary item on the menu are various forms of meat, but they also have a comprehensive selection of sides, soft drinks, deserts and alcohol. The Meat on Arkem is a bit rougher than other restaurants in the chain owing to the lawlessness of its location. Upon seeing the place John likens it more to a saloon in Earth's Wild West than a sports bar. Kara worked their briefly during one of the Magnificent 7's prolonged stay on Arkem, but was fired for beating up a group of unruly customers. Arena Really a name given to a network of venues where underground fighting matches occur. Roxy, owner of the Dock 4 bar known as the Pit gained fame as a fighter in the Arena. Kara also likes to fight in matches for fun and money. It was at the Arena that Kara met Jaxx Barro. Notable Residents Roxy A former prize fighter and current owner of the Pit. Despite her small frame, she is super strong with a powerful Aura. While Roxy is known and well liked for her friendly personality and easy going demeanor, she is able to fight off many of the gangsters who attempt to shake her down and is even able to intimidate many of the Magnificent 7 into behaving while they are in her bar. Zillion Al'Baster Thuro Al'Baster's wife. She was formerly the secretary of a low level gangster. Since he left her though she began writing erotic novels to make ends meet. Born and raised on Arkem, she prefers to stay despite having the money to move off the station to a better place. Jade Al'Baster Zillion's daughter and Thuro's step-daughter. She is extremely clever and is naturally talented at magic. Moe and Eliza A couple who are regulars at the Pit and are good friends with the Magnificent 7. Moe is a drug dealer who engages in numerous get-rich-quick schemes. He is kept grounded by Eliza who prevents him from running afoul of the more powerful gangsters in Arkem. It is whispered that Eliza used to be an assassin for one of the gangs until she met Moe and decided to settle down. She admits that the life of an assassin was too nerve wracking for her and she joined up with Moe because he makes her enjoy life. She will still use her skills though to keep him safe, and he has no idea that she is far stronger than he is. Locke A low level gangster who was well regarded for his strength and fighting prowess. He was present when John killed Wylie and later when the Magnificent 7 set up shop in Dock 4 where Locke lived, he decided John Duke was his rival and would challenge him at every opportunity. While John largely regards him as a nuisance, Locke eventually earned his respect when he once refused to give up the Magnificent 7 to a bounty hunter who had come looking for them. It's later discovered that he fights to protect the weak people of Dock 4 from the more dangerous gangsters of Arkem and that his tough bully image is a facade. Poca A nurse with a checkered past who frequents the Pit. She befriended Cain and Kara over a shared sense of humor and would often drink with them whenever the Magnificent 7 passed through. Kara found her attractive and made numerous attempts to seduce her that were always thwarted. On one of these occasions she accidentally introduced her to a maintenance worker and fellow Pit regular Vin Fry who she quickly became involved with. Vin Fry A former Jehdan Imperial Guardsman who fought in a protracted conflict between the Jehdan Imperium and a Zohani state called Usher. After his enlistment was up he left Jehda, bouncing around the outer territories before ending up at Arkem. There he took a job in the maintenance crews and became a regular at the Pit where he met John and later Poca. He developed a crush on Poca but didn't know how to approach her until they were introduced by Kara who was herself trying to seduce Poca. The two hit it off and became an item soon afterwards. Not long after this Vin managed to befriend several other members of the Magnificent 7 and he is regularly hired to fix things at the Garage. Unknown to most others is that Fry is also a junior member of the Takai family of Jehdan Nobility. After a disagreement with his father he left the family, taking his maternal grandfather's family name to hide his own lineage. 'Trivia' - While its construction is attributed to the Dragon Gods, Arkem is actually a battle station created by the Angels as part of their Crusade thousands of years ago. When they were driven off, the vessel was left there. It was eventually taken by the Dragon God Forge who used it to investigate the Angels' technology. He would occasionally use it as a home base away from Ultima.